Raj warns of riots if leaders continue to provoke

Mumbai: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj
Thackeray on Thursday said that if north Indian-origin leaders in
Mumbai did not stop making inflammatory statements, there
would "riots".

A war of words has begun after Congress MP Sanjay Nirupam
recently said that north Indians could bring life in Mumbai to
a halt, as they rendered many essential services. Mumbai
Congress chief Kripashankar Singh and Samajwadi Party leader
Abu Azmi too endorsed Nirupam.

"If such statements kept coming from these leaders, riots
will take place," Raj said here today.

Appealing to the state government to rein in the north
Indian leaders, he said that if the situation got out of hand,
it would be government`s responsibility.

Organisation of Chath puja on Mumbai beaches was a show
of strength by the north Indian leaders, he claimed.

Taking a swipe at his estranged cousin, Shiv Sena
executive president Uddhav Thackeray, Raj said that it was
Shiv Sena which made Nirupam big.

"Nirupam was made big by Uddhav Thackeray. He was once
Uddhav`s favourite," he said.

Like Raj himself, Nirupam too was once with Shiv Sena. "When I gave speeches, a gag order was passed against me. I was not allowed to make speeches. But North Indian leaders are backed by everyone, and criminal cases are slapped against
me," Raj said.

"Why all this started, I have no clue. What was the need
to make such statements (for Nirupam and others)?" Raj added.